China - Changjiang/Pearl River Watershed Rehabilitation Project

Page 1 INTEGRATED SAFEGUARDS DATASHEET APPRAISAL STAGE I. Basic Information Date prepared/updated: 01/12/2006 Report No.: 34952 1. Basic Project Data Country: China Project ID: P081255 Project Name: Changjiang/Pearl River Watershed Rehabilitation Project Task Team Leader: Achim Fock Estimated Appraisal Date: October 20, 2005 Estimated Board Date: April 27, 2006 Managing Unit: EASRD Lending Instrument: Specific Investment Loan Sector: General agriculture, fishing and forestry sector (35%);Crops (25%);Forestry (25%);Flood protection (15%) Theme: Other environment and natural resources management (P);Water resource management (S);Rural services and infrastructure (S);Land administration and management (S);Other rural development (S) IBRD Amount (US$m.): 100.00 IDA Amount (US$m.): 0.00 GEF Amount (US$m.): 0.00 PCF Amount (US$m.): 0.00 Other financing amounts by source: BORROWER 88.00 EC: EUROPEAN COMMISSION 12.00 100.00 Environmental Category: B - Partial Assessment Simplified Processing Simple [] Repeater [] Is this project processed under OP 8.50 (Emergency Recovery) Yes [ ] No [X] 2. Project Objectives The two highly interlinked development objectives of the Project are to improve farmer's livelihoods and protect the environment in poor and highly degraded watersheds of the Changjing and Pearl River Basins by promoting an integrated and replicable model of sustainable rural development. The promotion of efficient and sustainable use of land and water resources would reverse the trend of unsustainable resources management practices that have led to widespread poverty and serious environmental destruction. The benefits of the proposed project will accrue to different levels, including to farmers and the local communities in the sub-watersheds, the wider community and local government, to downstream areas and provinces, to the nation as a whole, and to the global community. 3. Project Description The project includes a wide menu of activities that would ensure flexibility in the individual sub-watersheds whose agro-climatic and socio-economic conditions vary greatly. Through a participatory design process these activities would be packaged into Page 2 an integrated set of intervention for each individual sub-watershed. The various activities are categorized into three components. Component 1. Soil and Water Conservation, which would include pre-dominantly physical investments (works and goods) for soil and water conservation which are primarily of 'public interest'. a. Construction/Protection of a minimum capital farmland basis, which would include the construction of terraces in areas with thin layers of soil with and without irrigation facilities. This is an essential component in very poor and mountainous villages, where subsistence food production is of great importance for the local population and a minimum amount of farmland the pre-condition for farmers to stop non-sustainable land use practices. While private individuals will benefits from these investments, there are considerable public benefits. b. Sediment Retention Structures, which would intercept the sediment at its source, to check the water discharge and to slow the flow of flood water in the tributary gullies of the major rivers. Different types of sediment control dams would be constructed such as check dams or barrier for the debris. c. Afforestation and Vegetative Cover, which would include the plantation of arbor trees including pines, firs, poplar, cypress etc. and shrubs and the closing and protection of areas for natural re-vegetation with primary purpose of soil and water conservation with limited scope for commercial use. d. Village Infrastructure, which would include the construction of drinking water supply systems, small reservoirs, improvement of access roads, tractor roads and field tracks, where they are key to sustainable development. Component 2. Livelihood Improvement, which would include pre-dominantly physical investments (works and goods) which are primarily designed to improve the income of farmers. a. Terracing of slope land, which would include the cost- effective construction of